Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what contributions holidays British Coal took from the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme between 1987 and 1994.

Jesse Norman: Holding answer received on 20 December 2016



The standard pension contribution holiday came about as a result of the surpluses revealed at the triennial actuarial valuations in 1986, 1989 and 1992. These surpluses funded a pension contribution holiday by British Coal from 1987 to 1994. The pension contribution holiday did not have a detrimental impact on members’ final salary pension payments which are based on a formula set out in the Scheme rules.

Energy: Competition

Callum McCaig: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the recommendation of the Competition and Markets Authority in its Energy Market Investigation report, published on 8 July 2016, that the Government should undertake and consult on a clear and thorough assessment of the appropriate allocation of technologies and CfD budgets between pots, what estimate he has made of the implications of that recommendation for his policy on holding an allocation round for pot two technologies without allocating a budget for pot one technologies.

Jesse Norman: Holding answer received on 20 December 2016



The Government is carefully considering the recommendations of the Competition and Markets Authority.Running competitive allocation processes to drive down the costs of decarbonisation is a key part of delivering the best deal to consumers; the first competitive allocation round secured savings of about 20% against the administrative strike prices. We will set out our plans for Pot 1 in due course.

Housing: Carbon Emissions

Steve McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of digitally sharing domestic retrofit activity by his Department and other third parties on the growth of the domestic retrofit market.

Jesse Norman: The Government is committed to publishing data on energy efficiency retrofit, to support its fuel poverty and climate change commitments. Every month this Department publishes the Household Energy Efficiency National Statistics, which supplies data on the delivery of measures under energy efficiency policies such as the Energy Company Obligation at a sub-regional level.[1] The same publication also periodically shows estimates of the remaining potential for retrofit, highlighting the opportunity for further growth in the market. We also continue to explore ways in which data sharing can be made more effective through digital channels. [1] Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/household-energy-efficiency-national-statistics